# If the GOP wins the House, how long before they start Impeachment against Obama? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 27, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531 "2010-10-27T15:18:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/41 "2010-10-28T16:17:49Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Chefguy is right. At least with Clinton they had the “lying under oath” to hang their hat on - an actual crime. > > - There is no evidence Obama is not eligible to be president > - Even _if_ the health care bill is unconsitutional: > 1. It’s not a crime to pass an unconstitutional law > 2. The President doesn’t pass laws anyway, Congress does > > No grounds for impeachment. It’s a masturbatory fantasy to appeal to extreme right-wing voters. The investigation of Clinton’s personal life resulted in a lying under oath charge. It was the endless investigations that precipitated the charge. It was not the point of investigations but a fortuitous break. Otherwise they wasted mega millions of tax payer funds in a witch hunt. Still the money was wasted. The investigations were wrong in the first place. I would not be surprised to see the Repubs do it again. The Dems don’t get it. The Repubs will do anything to get power. They are not hamstrung by rules or manners. The Dems want to discuss and agree like gentlemen. The Repubs will filibuster Christmas if they see political profit in it. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/42 "2010-10-28T16:20:59Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > The Dems don’t get it. The Repubs will do anything to get power. They are not hamstrung by rules or manners. The Dems want to discuss and agree like gentlemen. . I wouldn’t say “gentlemen”, let us say “politicians who know that compromise gets things done”. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/43 "2010-10-28T16:21:42Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > There’s not just smoke, there are flames starting to appear. No, that’s the Village Idiot yelling “Fire!” Andf it’s an indication of how..words fail me…the Left is when they quote Michelle Bachman as a normative example of conservatives. Edit: **EP** , I’m not calling you the Village Idiot, I’m referring to Bachman. Apologies for the obscure wording. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/44 "2010-10-28T16:49:56Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > No, that’s the Village Idiot yelling “Fire!” > > Andf it’s an indication of how..words fail me…the Left is when they quote Michelle Bachman as a normative example of conservatives. Yes, but [a third of](http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/10/the_latest_in_conservative_direct_mail_impeach_obama.php) the [village](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/10/poll-35-of-republicans-wa_n_387093.html) is [joining her](http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0210/Kos_poll_A_plurality_of_Republicans_favor_impeachment.html) in yelling “fire!” It should be noted that the first poll indicates that 10% of _Democrats_ want to impeach Obama, but still. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/45 "2010-10-28T16:54:24Z")
I don’t think the GOP will try to impeach Obama for real unless he’s reelected. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/46 "2010-10-28T17:04:03Z")
Quoth **Evil One** : > [@](#): > > Obama has done enough damage to the Democrat’s election prospects without any help. Whatever gave you that bizarre idea? His approval ratings are still higher than any of the Republican leadership, and his coattails undoubtedly contributed significantly to the Democrats’ major gains in 2008. Even now, when many democrats are getting voted out of office, it’s disproportionately the ones who weren’t going along with his agenda, which corresponds to what the significant majority of the population wants. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/47 "2010-10-28T17:14:07Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > They have at least as much grounds as they had vs Clinton. Yes. 0=0. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/48 "2010-10-28T17:30:18Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > No, that’s the Village Idiot yelling “Fire!” > > Andf it’s an indication of how..words fail me…the Left is when they quote Michelle Bachman as a normative example of conservatives. > > Edit: **EP** , I’m not calling you the Village Idiot, I’m referring to Bachman. Apologies for the obscure wording. No worries, I got the reference to Bachman. Bachman is not the village idiot. She is an elected representative of the House. She may not be a normative example, but she is not a crazy person on the street corner, or a whacko ranting on the internet (referring to random nutter, not you!). When discussing what the Republican members of the House might do, I don’t think it’s totally out of bounds to quote what a Republican member of the House has said she would like to do. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/49 "2010-10-28T18:48:45Z")
> [@Evil\_One](#): > > Obama has done enough damage to the Democrat’s election prospects without any help. Your premise is incorrect. The healthcare bill, cap & trade, and other measures were enacted by congressional Democrats, who had full knowledge of what would happen at the midterm elections as a result. They did it because they felt it was the right thing to do. While these bills were something that Obama pushed for, the Dems in both houses were under no obligation to enact legislation on his behalf. If there is any fault to lay on Obama, it’s his failure to adequately inform the public on a regular basis as to what progress his administration was making in regards to stabilizing the economy, etc. (fireside chats, if you will). This is why most people feel that nothing has been done, when in fact that is not the case. Democrats who are now trying to point to those successes are having a difficult time making their cases after two years of Fox & Friends telling people how frightened they ought to be, with little to no rebuttal from the highest echelon of the left. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/50 "2010-10-28T19:00:21Z")
Republicans really hate Democracy, don’t they. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/51 "2010-10-28T19:17:43Z")
Uh, I don’t think it’s correct to say that Clinton lied under oath – what he was ultimately censured for was “misleading testimony.” As I recall, what he did was to pin down the prosecutor/questioner/whoever-the-hell-it-was to a specific, very technical, and not-very-well constructed definition of “sexual relations” which he could truthfully deny having engaged in. The fact that a blow job does not meet the definition used during that session (arguably) protected Clinton from a criminal charge of perjury, but not from the more administrative charge of misleading the court. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/52 "2010-10-28T19:46:47Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > Uh, I don’t think it’s correct to say that Clinton lied under oath – what he was ultimately censured for was “misleading testimony.” As I recall, what he did was to pin down the prosecutor/questioner/whoever-the-hell-it-was to a specific, very technical, and not-very-well constructed definition of “sexual relations” which he could truthfully deny having engaged in. The fact that a blow job does not meet the definition used during that session (arguably) protected Clinton from a criminal charge of perjury, but not from the more administrative charge of misleading the court. Right, and the Judge very properly held him in contempt for his act of prevarication. What Clinton did was wrong, and he was punished in a suitable manner. But it was not the crime of Perjury. It also should not have been Impeachable. Chefguy- I more or less agree. What Obama has done “wrong” so far is spend all his political capital on Healthcare (when the budget was a bigger concern), not telling us what he has done for us, and also not living up to the nearly impossible expectations. That last is pretty much standard for every President in his 1st Mid-terms. Obama so far has done a fairly good job, but no doubt many of us hoped for better. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/53 "2010-10-28T22:24:39Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > When discussing what the Republican members of the House might do, I don’t think it’s totally out of bounds to quote what a Republican member of the House has said she would like to do. Fair 'nuf. I’ve used the exact same reasoning with Pres. O wrt his gun control agenda. But I don’t care what you say; Bachman is a friggin’ loon. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/54 "2010-10-28T22:30:13Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > But I don’t care what you say; Bachman is a friggin’ loon. Absolutely. She is also a member of a body with the power to investigate, censure and impeach. This may or may not give you pause. I see that there are others with similar levels of loonyness (IMO) who are attempting to join her there this November. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/55 "2010-10-29T03:51:45Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Absolutely. She is also a member of a body with the power to investigate, censure and impeach. This may or may not give you pause. I see that there are others with similar levels of loonyness (IMO) who are attempting to join her there this November. You’re taking this waayyy to seriously. Take a walk and get some fresh air. Drink a beer or six. Relax into it. It’ll all work out one way or another no matter what you or I do. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/56 "2010-10-29T15:18:06Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > You’re taking this waayyy to seriously. > > Relax into it. It’ll all work out one way or another no matter what you or I do. Well, let’s look at it this way- if it was the GOP leadership calling for Impeachment, we’d have to be very concerned. If it was some loon tea-party birther blogger, they can be ignored or laughed at. But since she’s a sworn Member of Congress, I suggest a middle ground. Some concern. And, we can do something- _get out and vote_. Make sure others do. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/57 "2010-10-29T16:08:44Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Well, let’s look at it this way- if it was the GOP leadership calling for Impeachment, we’d have to be very concerned. If it was some loon tea-party birther blogger, they can be ignored or laughed at. That, or it’s a whole other can of worms they don’t want to remind everyone about until it’s too late for voters to change their minds. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/58 "2010-10-29T17:35:17Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > I work with a guy who’s a conspiracy theorist. He was telling me some bullshit about how the GOP would try to get Obama out not by impeachment but by (you are not going to believe this) claiming that he is mentally incapacitated and using the 25th Amendment. That would put Biden leading the charge. I don’t see it. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/59 "2010-10-29T17:47:20Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > Uh, I don’t think it’s correct to say that Clinton lied under oath – what he was ultimately censured for was “misleading testimony.” As I recall, what he did was to pin down the prosecutor/questioner/whoever-the-hell-it-was to a specific, very technical, and not-very-well constructed definition of “sexual relations” which he could truthfully deny having engaged in. The fact that a blow job does not meet the definition used during that session (arguably) protected Clinton from a criminal charge of perjury, but not from the more administrative charge of misleading the court. Not true. And cited many many times here, to boot. One more: Lewinsky testified that she performed oral sex on the President on nine occasions. On all nine of those occasions, the President fondled and kissed her bare breasts. He touched her genitals, both through her underwear and directly, bringing her to orgasm on two occasions. On one occasion, the President inserted a cigar into her vagina. The definition of “sexual relations” used for the President’s civil deposition was: > [@](#): > > For the purposes of this deposition, a person engages in “sexual relations” when the person knowingly engages in or causes . . . contact with the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or buttocks of any person with an intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person. . . . “Contact” means intentional touching, either directly or through clothing. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/60 "2010-10-29T17:59:13Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Not true. > > And cited many many times here, to boot. One more: > > : Whether or not there was a “lie” Clinton was never convicted of or even charged criminally for Perjury, thus he would be innocent. Are you saying that he was guilty of a crime and the Judge was wrong to treat it as a Contempt issue? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531.md?page=4)